Comments on: Your Source For The Best In BasketballMon, 25 May 2015 19:43:22 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3By: Clay Kallamhttp://www.slamonline.com/?p=75392#comment-1168679
Wed, 12 May 2010 21:14:47 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168679I would agree that Fowles in the high post would be a waste …

But Sylvia’s inability to catch the ball blunts her effectiveness — and remember, every WNBA player can score in Europe, and a lot of non-WNBA players put up big numbers over there. The defense isn’t as focused either, and at this point in her career, doubleteams on Fowles seem to just disorient her.

To me, the turnovers are the big issue. If you throw the ball to Fowles 15 times, and five result in turnovers, and she misses five of her 10 shots, that’s just 33% effectiveness. Even if she can’t get off a shot but passes back out to the guard, not the open shooter where the doubleteam came from, it’s almost a turnover because the shot clock is all but gone.

Let her rebound, block shots, be a presence. Every once in a while, throw her the ball on the block to keep her happy. But running an offense through Fowles in 2010 is slow suicide.

]]>By: WADEhttp://www.slamonline.com/?p=75392#comment-1168607
Wed, 12 May 2010 20:24:49 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168607Clay, yes I agree with you on her weaknesses, and she must improve in those areas. However, when she’s playing in the Euroleague, she seems to have more than a few 20 point games and she’s won championships. I’m not saying she should get 20 shots a game, but I think at least 12 is appropriate. Who in the women’s game is strong enough to stop her in the paint? To me she’s the female version of Artis Gilmore/Moses Malone. Those guys weren’t Kareem offensively just like Fowles isn’t Lisa Leslie. Gilmore and Malone didn’t have the best hands either and I don’t remember either of them being great passers out of the post either. But when they established position on the inside where they could catch the ball and shoot, they were very effective. Fowles seems to do that in the Euroleague playing for Chatman and she certainly did that for the 2008 Olympic team playing for Donovan. She established position. Why can’t she seem to do that for the Sky? A lot of times Key has had her at the high post. Why? The only time she should be there is to receive a pass from a teammate who’s picked up her dribble and needs an outlet to pass to. To me, that part is coaching, or a lack of it.
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Wed, 12 May 2010 19:17:21 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168516Nice job Stephen, this season preview is spot-on. I think we’ll see a huuuge difference in Toliver this year, both with regards to attitude and game. She’s poised for a breakout year. Big Syl definitely has to stay healthy for the Sky to be legit. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of talent on this team…but our post game gets a little sketchy w/o Fowles. As Clay says, Fowles’ impact isn’t on the offensive end so it’s OK that she only gets 7-10 shots per game. We have plenty of scorers, but defensively we are lost w/o Big Syl. Other than that, Sky are extremely balanced and have depth at every position. It’s gonna be a great year!
]]>By: RPhttp://www.slamonline.com/?p=75392#comment-1168514
Wed, 12 May 2010 19:16:51 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168514Agree with Clay on all counts.

It’s actually amazing that Candice Dupree — a 6’2″, undersized power forward — can establish position extremely well, and yet Fowles, at 6’6″, can’t establish position in the post well at all.

And Fowles does have terrible hands. Need not look further than her staggering turnover numbers. And she doesn’t pass out of the post. Once again, just look at the numbers.

I hope she can stay healthy first and foremost, because the Sky will need her. Any improvement offensively — and there is a ton of room for it — would be great, obviously.

As for the rest, I can’t help but point out the over saturated praise for Kraayeveld. She’s not “a fine player” whose “value to her new team is immeasurable.” On any other team, she’s not a starter, and instead is just a solid bench option.

As for Toliver, she should be seeing more minutes. Last year, she was highly productive in the minutes she recieved, yet Key kept her minutes low, and at times, didn’t even play her. Makes no sense.

]]>By: Clay Kallamhttp://www.slamonline.com/?p=75392#comment-1168420
Wed, 12 May 2010 17:43:56 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168420A couple issues with Fowles: She does not catch the ball well at all (think Kwame Brown), and she does not yet know how to consistently get good position so the guards can get her the ball.

Obviously, the latter might come with experience, but bad hands can be a lifetime affliction. Fowles is also a terrible ballhandler once she gets the ball in the post, and when she’s doubleteamed, she doesn’t have the moves to get off a shot, or the ability to find an open teammate.

But if she can play 34 games, and everyone, including her, figures out how to maximize her talent, the Sky could be very, very good.

]]>By: Ben Yorkhttp://www.slamonline.com/?p=75392#comment-1168406
Wed, 12 May 2010 17:28:01 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168406@Wade: Well said. Big Syl will carry this team.
]]>By: Wadehttp://www.slamonline.com/?p=75392#comment-1168333
Wed, 12 May 2010 16:17:16 +0000http://www.slamonline.com/online/?p=75392#comment-1168333Very good article Stephen. You hit the nail on the head – there are no more excuses, especially for Coach Key not to know what to do with Big Syl. Granted she’s been injured a lot in her first two seasons in the W, but last season she took 172 shots in the 24 games she played, which means she averaged 7 shots per game. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? She’s got size, strength, athleticism. If he doesn’t know what to do with her, he needs to ask Pokey Chatman and Anne Donovan. They seem to know. To me its rather simple – GET HER THE FRIGGIN’ BALL.
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